Monitoring is the observation and analysing of activities occurring during a project. It is a process of gathering information on all focus points of the project. To monitor is to analyse the progress of an activity.
Monitoring involves feedback of progress of the project to the necessary persons involved.
Feedback allows the collected information to be used based on improving project performance or progress eg: keeping progress of a certain application.
What is Evaluation?
Evaluation is the process of systematically assessing the project or activity, and implementing and an impact of program/activity, policies or projects. The evaluation process allows many methods of research to be used to determine the progress of the activity. Evaluation can be broken down to the following headings such as:
? Benefits of Evaluation can help identify the characteristics of successful programs, so that they can be duplicated in other settings.
? Effects of Evaluation also helps give clarity to allow person involved in the project identify that can be improved.
? Function of Evaluation can help determine the timeframe of an activity. Evaluation allows data and results help clarify the program and its services that is to be provided.
WHAT IS ASBESTOS?
Asbestos is the name given to a type of a natural mineral that has resistance to both heat and corrosion. Asbestos is an indigenous fibrous mineral that has been used in number of buildings in South Africa, because of its excellent resistance to heat. It has been used for the manufacture of various products such as sewer pipes, heavy duty brake pads, gutters and was most commonly used in roof sheets. During 1977, South Africa was one of the largest asbestos producers in the world with a peak mining production of approximately 380 million tons/year. This raw asbestos was sold internationally. At present, all of the blue and brown asbestos mines in South Africa have been closed and the one remaining, the white asbestos mine no longer extracts raw fibre. Asbestos mines have significantly reduced its labour force over the past couple of years. Currently very fewer people are employed in rehabilitating the mine.
This killer material is a huge threat to people in rural areas who are aware of the dangers involved by using asbestos products. Certain Disposal/construction companies that are removing asbestos try and make an �extra buck�� by selling them to the rural people.
MOTIVATION
The purpose of this article is to provide clarity regarding the Dangers when working with asbestos waste. Many companies do not take this matter seriously, since they do not have the proper information to advise them of the dangers imposed onto their workers and their company. Asbestos is an extremely hazardous material, inhalation that causes severe health problems and should be taken seriously in construction companies.
WHY SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT ASBESTOS?
? Because exposure can lead to mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung with a very bad prognosis.
? Because there are abandoned asbestos mines in South Africa that may still pose a threat.
? Because asbestos is in building materials such as roofs for RDP houses and it is not clear whether this poses a threat or not.
? Because asbestos has been used to build schools in the past and it is not known to what extent this poses a current threat.
? Because it is said that average of 100 000 people that are exposed to asbestos in ship building have died of asbestos related diseases.
Asbestos was mined in South Africa since the early 1930s and was a material used in many different products in the building and engineering industries over more than a century. Asbestos fibre exposure caused many deaths due to diseases such as asbestosis, mesothelioma. Employees may be oblivious that they are exposed to asbestos during maintenance, decorating, renovating or even demolishing of redundant plant and buildings. Asbestos can contaminate working areas, which may give rise to a serious health risk to employees, occupants or even the public.
RESULTS
Asbestos contains materials that have been chemically treated or altered. However, asbestos is recognized as a cause of multiple diseases and cancer, and is considered a health hazard if inhaled, during the removal of asbestos materials due to upgrade of buildings and repairs. There are diseases such as mesothelioma which is a type of cancer that affects the membrane lining of the lungs and abdomen. Another common disease arising from the inhalation of asbestos is asbestosis.
Mesothelioma and asbestosis is a disease caused due to being exposed to an asbestos prone enviroment, these diseases usually takes a couple of years to actually develop in the body before any signs become noticeable. People who smoke and have been exposed to asbestos, the smoke will worsen and increase the rate of the asbestos disease they will then be in need of additional testing at an earlier period to correctly diagnose the disease. According to AsbestosMesotheliomaCancer.net, It wasn�t until the 1950s that a South African medical researcher discovered the proper link between the frequent exposure and this type of lung disease. Number of 33 cases of bad lung disease and 32 of those had been severely exposed to asbestos. With this evidence, businesses and governments were to calm to move and many companies who owned mines and factories actually tried to discredit the report or hide its findings. In that period, very few labourers who worked with this killer mineral were never alerted to the harm that they were exposed from mesothelioma, A serious illnesses.
Smoking and asbestos are a very harmful duo that accelerates the fatal lung cancers.
Cigarette toxins will eat at the linings of the lungs. Asbestos fibres can then easily enter into your damaged lungs and quickly assist the cigarette toxins in developing into a lung disease or cancer. Being a non-smoker will not prevent or save you from obtaining asbestosis or mesothelioma, but it will reduce the pain of mesothelioma and asbestosis.
Therefore the chances of gaining secondary disease are therefore reduced. Treatment/cure for mesothelioma and other asbestos caused diseases begin too late because of earlier misdiagnosis. With most cancers, and mesothelioma treatment at an early stage is vital to have a cure and survive. Neglecting to get diagnosed for mesothelioma and asbestosis will decrease your chance of living, inturn result in a painful lifestyle in the last phases.
ABOVE PICTURE SHOWS WERE MESOTHELIOMA ATTACKS
PICTURE OF AFFECTED LUNG BY ASBESTOS
What does asbestos look like?
Asbestos cement products are ordinary cement mixed with asbestos, sometimes asbestos can consist over a third of the cement. It is a grey and hard product which is moulded and compressed.
PICTURE 1 � ASBESTOS FIBRE CEMENT DOWNPIPE
PICTURE 2 � ASBESTOS ROOF SHEETS
Where is asbestos found?
Asbestos cement products
Textured coatings
Floor tiles, textiles and composites
Sprayed coatings on ceilings, walls and beams/columns
Asbestos insulating board
Lagging
Loose asbestos in ceiling or floor cavity
METHODS
A procedure has to be followed regarding the disposal of the asbestos. Disposal of asbestos has to be conducted under proper supervision by a registered waste company during transportation such as Enviroserv. When working with asbestos in a closed environment such as a warehouse air samples are needed to be taken and tested.
SAMPLE POINT MINIMUM NUMBER OF SAMPLES PER DAY MINIMUM VOLUME OF SAMPLES (LITRES)
Inside workplace (area where asbestos is being removed) 1 240 l
Outside workplace 2 480 l
Air sampling is used to test for concentration of airborne asbestos in and around the workplace. Air sampling often involves two steps: (a) capturing all air borne fibres of a certain size on a filter; and (b) a laboratory analysis of the fibre samples to determine the quantity and/or types of fibres. Air sampling for asbestos can also be performed using direct reading equipment.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
Employees that are involved with the removal of asbestos are required to undergo a medical examination prior to the work being done. In addition to this, adequate personal protective equipment has to be issued to the employees.
Above picture shows the safety equipment used when removing asbestos.
RESPIRATORS
FULL BODY WHITE SUITE
FULLY EQUIPPED TEAM READY FOR REMOVAL OF ASBESTOS
HANDLING OF ASBESTOS
� Waste must be stored on the premises in an environmentally safe manner.
� Bonded asbestos material must be securely packaged at all times.
� Friable asbestos material must be kept in a sealed container.
� Avoid dry sweeping, shoveling, or other dry clean-up methods.
� Never use compressed air for cleaning.
� Asbestos-contaminated soils must be wetted down.
� All asbestos waste must be transported in a covered, leak-proof vehicle.
� Asbestos waste must be disposed of at a landfill site that can lawfully receive this waste.
� It is illegal to dispose of asbestos waste in domestic garbage bins.
� It is also illegal to re-use, recycle or illegally dump asbestos products.
The Asbestos Regulations as per OHS Act (85 of 1993) requires:
� An Asbestos Risk Assessment must be conducted.
� A written inventory of the location of asbestos in workplaces, plant or premises must be made and maintained.
� A method statement must be implemented and followed during maintenance; repairs, alterations and dismantling of buildings that contain asbestos cement sheeting and related products.
� A Plan of Work that has been approved by an Approved Asbestos Inspection Authority must be followed during work involving raw asbestos, such as stripping of asbestos insulation.
Maintenance that is required for asbestos containing buildings, or when complete removal and replacement or demolishing of asbestos containing materials is advisable, they provide you with a methodology statement, as required by law. OCSA (Occupational Care South Africa) is an Approved Asbestos Inspection team and have the knowledge and vast experienced people able to manage any type of project dealing with asbestos. Experience has shown that wrong procedures or poorly monitored asbestos removal can result in asbestos contamination, therefore resulting in delays in the supply of Asbestos Clearance Certificates.
OCSA allows independent supervision during removal of asbestos, which reduces the risk of industries being contaminated. They monitor the project through to the end to a satisfactory conclusion. OCSA provides an appointed Registered Asbestos Contractors with approved asbestos work plans, training, guidance and on-site supervision to ensure that asbestos projects are completed within the shortest time possible.
DISPOSAL OF ASBESTOS
Correct disposal of asbestos is vital not only to protect the community and environmentally but also to prevent theft and reuse of removed material in which now days certain number of Construction Company�s allow the selling of the asbestos that has been removed of the building. Asbestos should be transported in leak-tight containers to a secure landfill operated in a manner that precludes air and water contamination that could result from ruptured containers. Similar requirements apply to remediation of sites such as mines, mills, and factories where asbestos fibre was processed and products manufactured.
Asbestos fibre is an extremely hazardous material. Whereby inhalation of these tiny fibres can lead to chronic and severe health problems.
CONCLUSION
As an end to my research, asbestos is a hidden killer that we all don�t know of but is still currently fitted on old buildings that are still in use. A well designed method is to be strictly implemented to help prevent unsafe exposure of asbestos to people that are not aware of the dangers that may be incurred, there may not be a noticeable change as quick as one would think but in years to come it will have a positive outcome.
